TOXIC LITTLE BITCH. (DM)

Seven

Despite Malfoy's great big heartfelt speech, nothing really changed over the next few weeks, beside the strange lack of snide comments and looks coming from him, everything was the same as it always was.

Effie still hadn't been regularly attending classes, for some reason she couldn't face them, she didn't want to sit in a class, feeling Malfoy's eyes burning through her every five seconds, she'd much rather sit in the astronomy tower and smoke.

She just didn't understand him, did he like her? Or was this just some sort of game, maybe he had a bet with his friends or something that he could get her to like him. Whatever it was it just didn't make the slightest bit of sense to her.

It was after dinner on a Wednesday night, and Effie was walking along the corridors on the way to Snape's office to hand in her potions essay, but when she stopped outside the door she was met by two familiar voices arguing from inside.

"Her father was one of them Severus you know this." A voice shouted who sounded an awful lot like Dumbledore.

"I just don't think it's fair that the girl has to live a lie—she's miserable." Snape's voice replied.

Effie took a step closer to the door in order to hear better, leaning up against the wall, trying to make sure it wouldn't look suspicious if another Professor walked past.

"We can't risk people knowing who she is, you and I both know that her father betrayed a lot of people, it doesn't matter if he's dead. You don't think they'll just target her as their next victim—"

"Yes, but her mother. Think about who her mother is. He took her away from us, she wasn't one of them, she had no choice but to go with him and take the girl with her— I just feel like she deserves to know Albus."

They hadn't mentioned any name, but Effie was positive they were talking about her, which would mean that Malfoy was right and there was a lot more to this than they were letting on.

It made sense, she remembered the first day she met Snape before she started Hogwarts, she was told that no one could know her identity— but he told her this was because of what had happened with her father, not because her father was a bad person.

"The answer is no Severus, I'm sorry. There's nothing more I can do." Dumbledore cut the conversation, Effie soon heard footsteps walking towards the door, she moved away from the door to make it look as though she wasn't just listening into their conversation.

"Ah hello Elizabeth. It's getting rather late, what are you doing wandering the corridors alone?" Dumbledore asked her as he closed the office door behind him.

"Just handing in my essay sir, then off to bed." Effie replied nervously, trying hard not to give away the fact that she'd just over heard their heated conversation.

"Very well, goodnight young lady." He stated before walking off.

"Night sir." She shuffled to the door and knocked, but entered before Snape could even reply.

When she'd heard them speaking through the door, something about Snape's voice told her that there was a reason that he wanted to tell her the truth.

As she walked into the office, he sat at his desk looking defeated as if the conversation he'd just had didn't exactly go the way he'd wanted it to.

"Elizabeth." He jumped up, acting as if he was all of a sudden fine, knocking a few books off the table with the elbow he was just resting on. "What can I do for you at this time?"

"Just handing in my essay, sorry it's a bit late." She started. "Is everything okay? You seem stressed."

"Yes. Just loads of work to do, it's been a long day." He was lying— she could tell he was lying.